Blood Donor Saves a Life

Blood donation is good for the country’s health

Yesterday, 14 June, the 2026 Blood Donor Day was held under the theme “One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives.” Even though less than 10 percent of Nigerians donate blood voluntarily and the country is currently grappling with a serious shortage of safe blood products, there was little awareness campaign to underscore the gravity of the issue. With a message that each voluntary donation is a powerful expression of solidarity and compassion, we call on Nigerians to cultivate the habit of voluntary blood donation because of its importance to the health of our society.

Statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that Nigeria needs an average of 1.8 million pints of blood annually, whereas the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) collects only 500,000 pints, a shortfall of about 73.3 percent. This has led to most hospitals and patients in the country relying on commercial donors for their blood needs. In other countries, people usually donate blood voluntarily because it feels good to help others, and such altruism has been linked to a lower risk of depression and greater longevity.

According to medical practitioners, those who need a blood transfusion include victims of road accidents who have lost blood, patients undergoing surgery, and those with blood disorders such as sickle cell anaemia. There are also patients whose blood does not clot (hereditary bleeding diseases such as haemophilia) and children whose blood cells have been depleted by malaria. Cancer patients, burn victims, and women during antenatal care or childbirth also use large amounts of blood. Statistics reveal that women use at least 53 percent of the blood that is collected, while men use 47 percent. “In Nigeria, 80‑90 percent of maternal mortality is a result of bleeding complications that we are not able to manage due to shortage of blood,” said Suleiman Akanmu, Professor of Haematology and Blood Transfusion at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos.

Unfortunately, whereas several other countries in the continent such as Uganda, Egypt and Kenya have embraced 100 percent voluntary, non‑remunerated blood donation by their citizens, Nigerians have not adopted the habit. Given the widespread ignorance about blood donation in our country, there is a need for the relevant health authorities to partner with the media and civil societies to promote the benefits of voluntary blood donation to the larger society. This will help dispel myths and misconceptions, especially the belief in some quarters that donated blood could be used for rituals. An urgent public enlightenment is needed to address common fears.

Medically, people who donate blood regularly are very healthy, as the habit has no side effects. Experts say the amount of blood usually taken from a person is only 450 mL, and a healthy individual has 10‑12 times that quantity; the small amount taken is replenished within two to four weeks. This clearly shows that donating blood is safe and indeed healthy. We urge Nigerians, who ordinarily care for the welfare of their fellow citizens, to embrace the habit of voluntary donation so we can have a robust blood bank.

We hope the relevant health authorities will also ensure that donated blood is properly screened to avoid storing infected blood.